Hydrogen is not dead - it’s just growing up

The H2 Conference Norway gathered close to 200 participants from more than 9 nations, with 47 speakers and 4 moderators over three days in Stavanger.

The second international hydrogen conference built on the first meeting in 2023 when industry optimism was higher. Two years later, the picture has changed: companies face higher costs, a tighter capital environment, and unclear regulatory frameworks.

Yet despite these headwinds, the message in Stavanger was clear: things are moving forward in the hydrogen space in Europe.

“Hydrogen is definitely not dead,” said Lars Nitter Havro, Head of Energy Macro Research at Rystad Energy, in the opening session.

Several speakers compared hydrogen’s trajectory to the S-curve seen in other renewables: solar, wind, and batteries all endured long, slow beginnings before hitting exponential growth once adoption tipped.

Hydrogen today is at that fragile stage – in need of subsidies, predictable rules, firm offtake contracts, and cross-border collaboration to reach its tipping point.

A big concern was that constant debate over criteria and regulations is causing investors to wait, slowing final investment decisions.

Europe risks repeating past mistakes: letting other regions such as Australia, the Middle East, the US and China capture hydrogen manufacturing and project leadership while Europe hesitates.

Shipping emerged as the most promising early market.

Driven by customer demand for decarbonisation, the sector is already testing hydrogen and derivatives inferries, barges and offshore supply vessels. These pilots demonstrate what works, while also building public trust and technical know-how.

Norway, in particular, has pioneered this field with over 100 electric and zero-emissions ferries and the launch of the world’s first liquid-hydrogen ferry in 2023, with ammonia-fuelled and hydrogen-driven ships scheduled to follow by 2026.

‍Key takeaways from the conference included

• Whether green, blue, turquoise or otherwise, all hydrogen ‘colors’ fall under the clean energy category
• Large-scale hydrogen needs dedicated infrastructure – pipelines, storage, and port facilities – with Germany’s 9,000 km “Hydrogen Core Network” cited as a model for unlocking investment
• Efficiency gains and cost cuts are essential: Hystar’s next-generation electrolysers show 10% higher efficiency, while Worley promotes modular “package plant” designs to reduce capital risk
• Less than 1% of hydrogen today is green; blue and turquoise hydrogen can bridge supply and lower costs until green scales
• Safety is proven in industry, but public perception remains a barrier. Demonstration projects are vital to build trust as well as technical know-how
• Europe risks losing ground globally if funding gaps, red tape, and stop–start grants slow deployment
• Policy clarity matters more than constant revision; investors need predictable frameworks
• Uptake should begin with today’s users (refining, fertiliser) before scaling to shipping, aviation, and steel after 2030
• Ammonia and e-methanol are the most practical carriers for scaling and global trade
• IMO climate rules and EU regulation will be decisive for shipping and aviation adoption
• Infrastructure must integrate with renewables, making hydrogen production flexible with variable wind and solar‍

‍The event was co-hosted by Energy Transition Norway, ONS Foundation, Stavanger Municipality and Stavanger Chamber of Commerce.